On an average Saturday morning in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, you won’t see anyone doing Park Run or rushing between gym classes. Instead, the city’s bay will be abuzz with activity, as all generations take to the waters in floating saunas. It is quite the sight to behold – and a world away from the often frantic London lifestyle. 

Looking to get your slice of serene Scandi life? Good news: the sauna trend has swept its way into London’s wellness world. While we may not have floating saunas, the capital is home to an increasing number of rooftop sweat boxes and social clubs centred around contrast therapy: a recovery technique that alternates between the intense heat of a sauna and the chill of an ice bath (read all about it here).

Boasting a long list of health benefits, such as improved cardiovascular function and muscle recovery, as well as reduced stress and better sleep, there’s never been a better time to dip a toe into London’s sauna scene. Discover the chicest saunas in the capital below. 

Sauna Social Club, Peckham

Last year, Vogue declared that ‘saunas are the new place to socialise’ – and according to co-founders Nikki Tesla and Benji Teare, that’s exactly what Sauna Social Club set out to achieve when it opened in Peckham’s railway arches in 2024. Offering an alternative to London’s drinking-centric social clubs, the space is rooted in community and creativity, adorned with eye-catching art and featuring cosy corners for games, reading or journaling. 

Inside, discover two saunas. The main one is built for listening, with a custom hi-fi system that can withstand 90°C heat and room for 14 strangers who want to immerse themselves in music. The second smaller sauna is designed for chatting and meeting new people, while four ice baths (at different temperatures) offer the chance for guests to enjoy contrast therapy.  

Prices range from £14.99 for 50-minute off-peak sauna and ice bath access to Creative Wellbeing Sauna sessions at £29.99: a 1hr 45-minute session led by a specialist and spanning sauna, ice baths, breathwork, sound healing and aufguss (a multi-sensory sauna ritual originating in Germany). Forget Park Run and coffee; this is the coolest way to while away a Saturday. 

Railway Arch, 842 Brayards Road, SE15 2AG, visit saunasocialclub.co.uk

Rooftop Saunas, Hackney and Brixton

If your interest in the thermal lifestyle has been peaked by snaps of a sauna overlooking The City on your Instagram feed, that’s Rooftop Saunas’ flagship outpost in Hackney. Opened in 2024, swiftly followed by a South London outpost at Brixton’s International House, Rooftop Saunas are available to book privately so you won’t have to socialise with strangers while you sweat. With prices ranging from £11 to £60, all sauna sessions are complemented by outdoor cold plunge pools ‘heated’ to a cool 5-7°C, as well as waterfall buckets for that all-important endorphin rush.

Don’t miss your private cool-down room (attached to the sauna) to refresh and enjoy a minibar and complimentary tea and coffee facilities. If you’re looking for a quick sauna de-stress between running errands or on your lunch break, make the most of the private hot showers complete with aromatherapy and skincare sets. That’s what we call sweat-and- go. 

Visit rooftopsaunas.com

Sweat Lounge, Chiswick

A combination of an intense career, becoming a mother and a series of injuries left Londoner Allison Huff-Ritchie burnt out and in chronic pain. Faced with being on medication for the rest of her life, Huff-Ritchie decided to try infrared light and sauna therapy while on a trip to the US – and everything changed. Blown away by the improvement in her physical and mental vitality after only a few sessions, she started educating others on the benefits of this health phenomenon and eventually opened the Sweat Lounge last year. 

The space is home to state-of-the-art infrared saunas by Sunlighten, famed for their non-toxic and eco-friendly cabins, and sessions can be taken in a Solo Pod or Premier Cabin. The former offers a hotter experience, at roughly 65°C for 30 minutes, while the latter can cater for up to two people and features a gentler heat combined with medical-grade red light therapy panels designed to improve skin appearance, accelerate injury recovery and ease pain. The Sweat Lounge works on a membership basis, with each session priced at approximately £30. 

48 Chiswick High Road, W4 1SZ, visit sweatlounge.co.uk 

Sauna and Plunge, Shoreditch

Inspired by the Scandinavian lifestyle, Max Reynald founded Shoreditch’s Sauna & Plunge in 2024 to offer stressed-out Londoners a holistic wellness sanctuary. Its raison d'être is, as the name suggests, sauna sessions in bespoke infrared and steam cabins heated up to 100ºC, as well as ice plunge pools at 3ºC, 6ºC and 9ºC. Sessions, priced at £30, are structured around 25 minutes in the sauna and five minutes in the ice. 

Elsewhere, Sauna and Plunge also offers a plethora of studio classes, including Pilates, yoga and breathwork. Post-session, make the most of the luxe changing rooms complete with hot showers, fresh towels and hairdryers, before reenergising at the boutique coffee lounge with natural juices and specialty coffee. Just moments from Old Street Station, it attracts a City crowd so don’t be surprised if you're rubbing shoulders with colleagues here. Sauna instead of Thursday night drinks, anyone? 

124 Tabernacle Street, EC2A 4SA, visit saunaandplunge.life

Rebase Recovery, Marylebone

Alex Rebeiz and Waldo Ramsay bonded over a common aim of helping humans recover from stress and injury. After Rebeiz suffered a near-death experience, his attitude towards health and wellbeing became a priority, while professional fencer Ramsay simultaneously began his journey in sports recovery. This shared passion for health and recovery eventually resulted in luxury wellness studio Rebase Recovery, which opened in 2024. 

Alongside yoga and breathwork classes, pick from a session in the traditional sauna, heated to a steamy 85-95ºC, or the infrared cabin, which is kept at a lower 70-80ºC for a deeper, longer sweat. This is complemented by cryotherapy, contrast therapy, vitamin infusions and appointments with specialists, such as chiropractors and osteopaths, to ensure you feel your best. This is holistic wellness like you’ve never seen before. 

1a St Vincent Street, W1U 4DA, visit rebaserecovery.com

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